Slyclops IX
Σλει Κλοπς IX (English: Slei Klops the Ninth, born December 1, 1983) is an American professional wrestler of Greek heritage, currently signed to the Professional Grappling Association. Klops is considered a ninth generation wrestler. He is a former PGA World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and Broadcast Champion, and a former head trainer at the Pro Graps Academy. He has also held the AAPW Junior Heavyweight Championship. Early life Family history In the early 18th century, Slei Klops I created a legacy for himself in the Mediterranean as one of the toughest cattle herders around. From his childhood, he learned to literally lock horns with goats and rams, which really helped him out when he started working as a wrestler on the side. According to legend, people started calling him the Cyclops because of the partial blindness in his left eye. Every generation since, at least one Greco-Roman wrestler has been successful under the Slyclops family name. At one point, what was known as "The Four Klops Mafia" ruled every tournament in Sparta for thirty years. Klops IX's own father, Slyclops VIII, won a silver medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling. Klops IX is the first to attempt expanding their legacy into the world of sports entertainment and professional wrestling. In interviews, he has stated that he sticks to his roots in the ring, despite being "a pretty normal American kid." Amateur wrestling career Klops attended St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, where he wrestled all four years, graduating with a record of 166-10. He was then accepted to attend Columbia University, where he achieved a 40–2 win-loss record. Moreover, while attending the university, Klops was a two-time All-American heavyweight wrestler, once alongside squadmate Matt Palmer in 2005 and as the sole Columbia representative in 2006. After graduation, he served as assistant coach for the Columbia wrestling team. At the request of head coach Brandon Buckley, Klops chose not to pursue competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics, focusing instead on continuing to solidify the Columbia wrestling squad. However, as the Olympics got underway, Klops reportedly grew resentful of Buckley's demands, eventually putting in his notice of resignation in early August of that year. Professional wrestling career Recruitment In late 2008, Klops' father, Slei Klops VIII, was contacted by family friend B. Armstrong Ruby in regards to bringing Klops IX aboard the PGA. IX was at first unsure, but was strongly encouraged by his father to take the job. Furthermore, the unionization of the majority of PGA's roster inspired Ruby to offer Klops a position as head trainer at the Pro Graps Academy, a position Slei earnestly accepted. Because the PGA roster was essentially empty at the time of his hire, Slei would be forced to make the transition to the professional style while on the job, without prior training. Pro Graps Association debut (2009) Klops IX joined the PGA on February 18, 2009, as part of B. Armstrong Ruby's World Talent Initiative™. He competed in a Battling Bowl tag team match, teaming with King Falcon to defeat Burkina Fatso and El Hijo De Don Leo Jonathan and earn spots on the PGA roster and placement in the Crowning A Champion's Waist '09 championship tournament. Klops and King Falcon faced one another in round one of the tournament, and were both eliminated after wrestling to a time-limit draw. He made his PGA pay-per-view debut at July's The Grandest Stage Of The Mall event in Bloomington, Minnesota, facing Lester Balaam Jackson in an anything-goes grudge match. The match came about after Klops IX saved Randy Maldonado from an attack by Jackson. LBJ responded by drawing the Klops family out of the crowd and assaulting them publicly. Jackson won this match, but not before Klops IX could cause permanent damage to Jackson's right eye. Shortly thereafter, Klops IX began a lengthy feud with Brandon O'Brien over a myriad of issues, including class structure and championship expectations. The two traded victories throughout missing a pay-per-view match to team up against Lester Balaam Jackson, a match contested on the arena floor after members of Enhanced dismantled and removed the ring, and a fatal fourway where they (along with Brutal Chambers) challenged for the PGA World Heavyweight Championship simultaneously. Around this time, Klops IX became known as "the golden boy" of PGA, because of the association management's assumption that he would one day become World Heavyweight Champion. Good Dudes Alliance (2010- ) At Crossfire 2010, Slyclops lost to Raijin Narukami in a grudge match stemming from issues over Narukami taking Sly's place as head trainer of the Pro Graps Academy. This led Slyclops into discussions with Buster Abbott, who considered himself a close friend of Narukami, regarding Buster's suggested concept of "good dudes" putting aside their differences for the greater good. Ironically, due in large part to B. Armstrong Ruby's urging, Slyclops and Abbott would face each other at Crowning a Champion's Waist '10 in a triple threat versus Snake Eyes for the prize of Abbott's Ladder War belt, which Abbott successfully retained. The concept of the Good Dudes Alliance would grow over the next several weeks, as several PGA mainstays unofficially banded together in retaliation to Stevens N. Stevens' Zen Dungeon, which had emerged to threaten the entire PGA roster. As for Slyclops, he would team up with Helm Konrad to defeat Stevens and Dungeon cohort Ben Crane at Throwing Hands. That same night, Buster Abbott was defeated in a World Heavyweight Championship match against reigning champion Lester Balaam Jackson. After Throwing Hands, the Remain Alive trios tournament was announced, causing the unofficial Good Dudes Alliance to splinter into a number of smaller factions, leaving behind only Klops, Abbott and Zane "Zubaz" Vance as the official stable. Meanwhile, PGA management went several weeks without announcing a new challenger for Lester Jackson's Heavyweight title. This frustrated Slyclops, who took matters into his own hands by attacking and infuriating Jackson, which then forced B. Armstrong Ruby to name Slyclops the new number-one contender. At Grandest Stage of The Mall 2, Slyclops debuted a new theme music and "gold" motif, embracing his golden boy image. He defeated Jackson, and became the new PGA World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion. Slyclops immediately put into effect a policy of facing multiple challengers on PGA Primetime Wednesday!, defeating old rivals Brandon O'Brien, Raijin Narukami and Snake Eyes. Teaming with Abbott and Vance, Slyclops helped the Good Dudes Alliance compete in the final round of the Remain Alive tournament, in which Slyclops was pinned by Mall For It All winner Ben Crane. Slyclops would be pinned by Crane once again in the main event of Cargado Completamente 2010, thus losing the World Heavyweight title. As Klops attempted to find the opportunity for a championship rematch, he was pulled into a feud with John Abbott, whom Klops defeated at Final Four: World of Sport. He also was put in a "dream match" against Brian Genius, which he lost at Crossfire '11. Finally, Slyclops used his rematch clause to face both Ben Crane and Helm Konrad in a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship at Crowning a Champion's Waist '11. Slyclops did not win this match, as he was powerbombed through the exposed wood of the wrestling ring by Konrad, who then pinned Crane moments later. After the Zen Dungeon officially collapsed at Crowning, the Good Dudes Alliance were allowed the three wishes originally won by the Stevens, Crane and Jackson at Remain Alive. Meanwhile, Slyclops targeted "Mammoth" Kang JumBo as his next opponent. JumBo, who had briefly been a member of the Zen Dungeon via a technicality, had been recently re-awarded brand new Quad Pro Championship belts, as his old belts had been destroyed by the Dungeon. Slyclops, who believed JumBo did not deserve to be a champion, travelled to Japan to request a match, which JumBo denied. Coming back to the United States, Klops prevented a Primetime Wednesday! match between JumBo and AAPW Junior Heavyweight Champion Kaijin Gamagirah, by challenging Gamagirah to an impromptu match of his own for the Junior title. Gamagirah accepted, and Slyclops won the AAPW Junior belt, believing this would contractually give him a match with JumBo. It did not, so Sly used his wish to fight Drew Parker for the Broadcast Championship, as JumBo was scheduled to compete for the Broadcast title himself at Throwing Hands '11. Klops won the Broadcast title and faced JumBo at Throwing Hands, with the Quad Pro, Broadcast and AAPW Junior championships all on the line. Slyclops lost. Pro Graps Academy Off-camera, Slyclops has trained several members of the PGA roster, both current and former, including: *Penelope Cavendish *"Crimson Skies" Josh Brown *Marcia "Mercy" Desmarais *Ailin Kennedy *Jason Hughes *Todd Gregory *Tyrone Rope *Chumly the Bear III Personal life Klops was married to professional wrestler Jessicka Havok on July 17, 2009 at the Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in New York City. Slei has been known to refer to his wife as "Jessicklops" as a term of endearment. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' **''Slei's Lift'' (vertical drop Northern Lights suplex) *'Signature moves' **Arm drag **Roundhouse kick **Belly-to-belly suplex **''King Crab Hold'' (Double leg trap guillotine choke) **Repeated elbow strikes to the side of the opponent's head while holding the opponent in a crucifix position *'Managers' *'Nicknames' **"Golden Boy" **"Greek" - by Brandon O'Brien *'Music' **Rotting Christ - Keravnos Kyvernitos **Immediate Music - Electric Romeo Championships and accomplishments *Professional Grappling Association **PGA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (1 time) **PGA Broadcast Championship (1 time) *All Asia Pro Wrestling **AAPW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) External links *Jessicka Havok on MySpace *Columbia Lions Wrestling official site Category:PGA World Heavyweight Wrestling Champions Category:Broadcast Champions